| 1898 September 11 |
Born in Beech Springs in Jackson Parish, one of eleven children of a sharecropper. |
| 1916 | Begins performing as a guitarist and singer to earn his way through Louisiana College in Pineville. |
| 1926 | Earns Masters Degree in Education from Louisiana State University. Moves to Shreveport where he teaches history and social studies at Dodd College. He also writes songs and performs Friday nights on KWKH radio. |
| 1928 | Nobody's Darlin' becomes a hit. Davis forms his own band and signs a recording contract with Decca Records. |
| 1936 | Elected Shreveport Commissioner of Public Safety. His campaign style was to put on an hour long consert with his band and then give a ten minute speech. |
| 1942 | Elected a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission |
| 1944-1948 | Elected governor of Louisiana. He runs as an anti-Long candidate against Lewis Morgan, who is backed by Earl Long. This term is marked by his absence from Louisiana to take trips to Hollywood where he made movies. Davis leaves office with very high popularity and a surplus in the state's treasury. |
| 1951 September 15 |
First appearance on Grand Ole Opry. |
| 1960-1964 | Again elected governor of Louisiana. In the bitter campaign he gains the run off and then rallies the segragationist vote to defeat New Orleans Mayor deLesseps S. Chep Morrison. This term is marked by his futile attepts to block school segregation and shore up the collapsing Jim Crow system by calling special sessions. Sunshine Bridge built near Donaldsonville, new governor's mansion in Baton Rouge. |
| 1971 | Runs for third term as governor of Louisiana but fails to make the run off. It is the only election that he ever lost. After the campaign he builds a house next to the governors mansion in Baton Rouge and moves in with his wife Anna. |
| 1972 | Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. |
| 1994 |
Last appearance on Grand Ole Opry the night before his 95th birthday. |
| 1994 September 10 |
Last appearance on Grand Ole Opry the night before his 95th birthday. |
| 1999 September 11 |
Sings at his own 100th birthday party. |
| 2000 November 5 |
Dies in Baton Rouge, age 101. |